The Spring's Own {GF} Cheesecake

This baked cheesecake is properly decadent without being too rich. The chocolate almond crust and creamy filling infused with sweet vanilla make for a heavenly combination. Add a few raspberries on top for colour and sharpness and this dessert becomes a real show-stopper. Don't forget to tell your guests it's low fat so they'll know to indulge in twice as much.

Crust: Mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 2 tbs veggie or nut oil • 1 tsp vanilla • 2/3 cup almond meal • 3 tbs raw cocoa powder • 1 egg • push mixture into a parchment lined spring-form pan and bake at 350F for about 15 minutes until the crust crisps a little • I skipped the pre-baking step when I made this cake, so although the base tasted incredible, it remained a little too viscous when what I was going for was crunch.

ABOUT

The Spring Collective is led by Catherine Roberts, a socially savvy, small business loving, creative marketing strategist with proven experience as a successful retailer online and in the real world. With help from her boutique team of social media, pr, and business planning experts, Catherine teaches small business owners on a budget how to find and connect with more of the people who want to buy whatever it is they sell.